1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus which generates and displays operation menus for facilitating operation execution or data selection for multimedia display data including text, graphics, and sound.
2. Description of the Related Art
A first example of a conventional data processing apparatus which displays operation menus is a data processing apparatus which receives teletext broadcasts and displays an index for selecting the content of the teletext or for returning from a selected item of teletext to the index. This operation menu does not change in response to the content of the broadcast teletext, but is rather an operation menu whose menu items are fixed.
A second example of a conventional data processing apparatus is the Internet browser software xe2x80x9cNETSCAPE NAVIGATORxe2x80x9d (Registered Trade Mark) produced by Netscape Communications, Inc. xe2x80x9cNETSCAPE NAVIGATORxe2x80x9d is an application for accessing the World Wide Web (often abbreviated to xe2x80x9cWWWxe2x80x9d) which is a distributed information system based on a concept called xe2x80x9cHypertextxe2x80x9d. A detailed description of the World Wide Web is given in the article xe2x80x9cMedia Integration by the World Wide Webxe2x80x9d which appeared in the Jouhou Shori Gakkai Data Base System Research Report 100-21 (Oct. 14, 1994).
The main function of the NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR is to read information written in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), and to interpret and display its content. When information which shows a link to another page (called a Uniform Resource Locator or xe2x80x9cURLxe2x80x9d) is selected using a pointing device such as a mouse, NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR takes data from the link address indicated by the URL and displays it. NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR is also able to display predetermined menus for xe2x80x9chot spotsxe2x80x9d which are special marks provided in the display data (such as marks showing link addresses). A description of NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR is given between pages 93 and 99 of the September 1995 edition of xe2x80x9cInternet Userxe2x80x9d magazine (Softbank Publishing).
As described above, the content of menus for the first example of a conventional data processing apparatus is fixed. As a result, it is not possible to select menu items in accordance with the content of broadcast teletext.
With the second conventional technique, while predetermined menus are displayed for hot spots displayed with the predetermined mark, making it possible to change the display to the data associated with the hot spot or to selectively perform a plurality of operations for the hot spot, it is not possible to change the change the operation menus in accordance with the content of the hot spots. As a result, the apparatus becomes more difficult to use since unnecessary menu items are displayed for hot spots.
When looking through a set of pages which are connected by such links, it has been necessary to pass through the pages one at a time, so that it has not been possible to view a page which is two or more links away from the present hot spot by making only one selection operation.
In actual Internet pages, hot spots which represent links also tend to be distributed throughout the page, so that it is difficult for users to see all of the available links when making a selection. In particular, when a user is unsure as to which hot spot to select, the user has to go to the trouble of moving the mouse cursor a considerable distance over the screen.
When using a conventional browser, the only information which the user can refer to when selecting a hot spot is the information given by the hot spot itself, so that users can often end up switching to data which does not serve their purpose.
Finally, most conventional browsers assume the user is using a pointing device such as a mouse, so that such selections become difficult if the user has to use the ten key pad on a remote control unit.
In view of the stated problems, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a data processing apparatus which allows the selection of menu items which change depending on the content of document data or on the type of a key word included in document data.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a data processing apparatus which can display a menu which enables a user to understand the content of data linked to the data being displayed.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a data processing apparatus which can enable a user to understand the content of other sets of data which are lined to a data section included in a set of data.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a data processing apparatus which can display data several links away in a hierarchy as menu items in a hierarchical menu displayed with a present set of data.
A fifth object of the present invention is to provide a data processing apparatus which reduces the trouble the user has to go to in moving the focus of a data section, by having each data section included in a set of data displayed for a predetermined time.
A sixth object of the present invention is to provide a data processing apparatus which, in order to facilitate the selection of data linked to a data section, has data related to a data section in the focus condition added to the display.
A seventh object of the present invention is to provide a data processing apparatus which enables the user to make a rapid selection of a data section, even when there is a large number of data section is the displayed data.
An eighth object of the present invention is to provide a data processing apparatus which can display data directly related to a data section in accordance with an operation of a channel number button on a television remote controller.
The primary object can be achieved by a data processing apparatus which displays a set of document data on a display unit together with an operation menu which has operation items for operation executions related to said set of document data, the data processing apparatus including: a document data storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of document data which are to be displayed by the display unit, wherein each set of document data has a different data content and is stored together with a set of content information which corresponds to said data content; an operation menu information storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of operation menu information which are each made up of a set of operation items which correspond to a content of a set of document data; a first indication operation unit for indicating a display of a set of document data, in accordance with a user operation; a second indication operation unit for indicating an addition of a display of an operation menu to the displayed set of document data, in accordance with a user operation; an operation menu generation unit for receiving an indication from the second indication operation unit, for obtaining the content information of the displayed set of document data from the document data storage unit, for extracting the set of operation menu information which corresponds to the obtained content information from the operation menu information storage unit, and for generating an operation menu which has the operation items in the extracted set of operation menu information as menu items; and a display control unit for reading a set of document data from the document data storage unit and having the set of document data displayed on the display unit in accordance with an indication from the first indication operation unit, and for having the operation menu generated by the operation menu generation unit displayed in a window provided on the display unit.
The above primary object can also be achieved by a data processing apparatus which displays a set of document data including key words on a display unit together with an operation menu which has operation items for operation executions related to the set of document data, the data processing apparatus including: a document data storage unit for storing a set of document data, including key words, which is to be displayed by the display unit; an operation menu information storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of operation menu information which are each made up of a set of operation items which correspond to a type of key word; a first indication operation unit for indicating a display of a set of document data in accordance with a user operation; a first display control unit for receiving an indication from the first indication operation unit, for reading a set of document data from the document data storage unit, and for having the read set of document data displayed by the display unit; a key word selecting operation unit for selecting a key word in the set of document data displayed by the display unit, in accordance with a user operation; a second display control unit for having a key word, which is indicated as one of a default and a selection by the key word selecting operation unit, in the set of document data displayed on the display unit displayed in focus; a second indication operation unit for indicating a display of an operation menu for the key word in focus, in accordance with a user operation; an operation menu generation unit for receiving an indication from the second indication operation unit, for reading the set of operation menu information which corresponds to the type of the key word in focus on the display unit from the operation menu information storage unit, and for generating an operation menu which has the operation items in the read set of operation menu information as menu items; and a third display control unit for having the operation menu generated by said operation menu generation unit displayed in a window provided on the display unit.
With the above construction it is possible to display an operation menu which corresponds to the content of a document or to key words.
Here, the data processing apparatus may further include: a menu item focusing/deciding operation unit for focusing on a menu item in the operation menu displayed on the display unit in accordance with a user operation and for deciding on the focused menu item in accordance with a user operation; and an operation execution unit for executing an operation program of the operation item which is the menu item decided on by the menu item focusing/deciding operation unit.
With the above construction it is possible to facilitate operation execution for the displayed document data or key words.
The data processing apparatus may further include: a document data obtaining unit for receiving a text-multiplexed broadcast transmitted by a television station and obtaining a set of document data by separating text data from the received text-multiplexed broadcast; and a document data writing unit for writing the set of document data received by the document data obtaining unit into the document data storage unit.
With the above construction, document data in text-multiplexed broadcasts can be put to good use.
The second object of the present invention can be achieved by a data processing apparatus including a display unit, the data processing apparatus including: a data storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of data, together with links which each connect an arbitrary set of data to another set of data; data display indication operation unit for indicating a set of data to be displayed, in accordance with a user operation; a first display control unit for reading a set of data stored in the data storage unit in accordance with an indication from the data display indication operation unit and having the read set of data displayed on the display unit; a menu display indication operation unit for indicating a display of a menu related to sets of data which are linked to a set of data displayed on the display unit, in accordance with a user operation; a first menu generation unit for obtaining a data part of each set of data which is directly linked to the set of data displayed on the display unit and for generating a menu which has the obtained data parts as menu items; and a second display control unit for having the menu generated by the first menu generation unit displayed in addition to the set of data displayed by the display unit.
With the above construction, the menu items of menus show the content of data linked to the data being displayed.
The data processing apparatus may further include: a menu item selecting operation unit for selecting a menu item in a menu displayed by the display unit, in accordance with a user operation; a second menu generation unit for obtaining a data part of each set of data which is directly linked to the set of data which includes the menu item selected by the menu item selecting operation unit and for generating an additional menu which has the obtained data parts as menu items; and a third display control unit for having the additional menu generated by the second menu generation unit added to a display of menus on the display unit as a submenu, wherein if a selection of a menu item in an additional menu is made by the menu item selecting operation unit, the second menu generation unit may generate a new additional menu and the third display control unit has the new additional menu added to the display on the display unit as a next submenu.
Here, each set of data stored in the data storage unit may include a title and one of the first menu generating unit and the second menu generating unit may obtain the title included in each linked set of data and use the obtained titles as menu items.
With the above construction, the content of sublevels can be quickly understood from the menus.
The third object of the present invention can be achieved by a data processing apparatus including a display unit, the data processing apparatus including: a data storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of data which include data sections, together with links which each connect a data section in an arbitrary set of data to another set of data; a data display indication operation unit for indicating a set of data to be displayed, in accordance with a user operation; a first display control unit for reading a set of data from the data storage unit in accordance with an indication from the data display indication operation unit, and having the read set of data displayed on the display unit; a menu display indication operation unit for indicating a display of a menu related to sets of data which are linked to a data section included in the set of data displayed on the display unit, in accordance with a user operation; a first menu generation unit for generating a menu based on sets of data which are directly linked a data section included in the set of data displayed on the display unit, in accordance with an indication from the menu display indication operation unit; and a second display control unit for having the menu generated by the first menu generation unit displayed in addition to the set of data displayed by the display unit.
Here, the first menu generating unit may include: a first menu item obtaining unit for obtaining a part of each set of data directly linked to a data section, wherein there is a plurality of sets of data directly linked to the data section; and a first menu generating unit for generating a menu which has the parts of each set of data obtained by the first menu item obtaining unit as menu items.
Here also, each set of data stored in the data storage unit may include a title, and each first menu item obtaining unit may obtain the title included in each linked set of data.
Here, the data processing apparatus may further include: a menu item selection operation unit for selecting a menu item in a menu displayed by the display unit, in accordance with a user operation; a second menu generation unit for reading data sections included in a set of data which includes a title which is the menu item selected by the menu item selection operation unit from the data storage unit, and for generating an additional menu which has the read data sections as menu items; and a third display control unit for having the additional menu generated by the second menu generation unit added to a display of the menu on the display unit as a submenu.
Here, the data processing apparatus may further include: an additional menu item selection operation unit for selecting a menu item in an additional menu displayed on the display unit, in accordance with a user operation; a third menu generation unit for reading parts of sets of data which are directly linked to a data section which is the menu item selected by the additional menu item selection operation unit from the data storage unit, and for generating a new additional menu which has the read parts of sets of data as menu items; and a fourth display control unit for having the new additional menu generated by the third menu generation unit added to a display of the menu and the additional menu on the display unit as a lower-level submenu.
Here, the first menu generation unit may include: a first menu item obtaining unit for obtaining data sections in a set of data directly linked to a data section, wherein there is only one set of data directly linked to the data section in the data storage unit; and a first menu generating unit for generating a menu which has the data sections obtained by the first menu item obtaining unit as menu items.
The data processing apparatus may further include: a menu item selection operation unit for selecting a menu item in a menu displayed by the display unit, in accordance with a user operation; a second menu generation unit for reading a part of each set of data directly linked to the data section which is the menu item selected by the menu item selection operation unit from the data storage unit, and for generating an additional menu which has the read parts of sets of data as menu items; and a third display control unit for having the additional menu generated by the second menu generation unit added to a display of the menu on the display unit as a submenu.
With the above construction, the content of sublevels can be quickly understood from the menus.
Here, the data processing apparatus may-further include a data section display control unit for having data sections included in the set of data being displayed on the display unit displayed in a new window.
With the above construction, the user can easily view the data sections in the present set of data which are linked to other sets of data.
The fourth object of the present invention can be achieved by a data processing apparatus which further includes: a data display updating operation unit for indicating a display of data directly linked to menu item in an additional menu most recently added to the display on the display unit, in accordance with a user operation; and a fourth display control unit for receiving an indication from the data display updating operation unit, for reading a set of data which includes the selected menu item from the data storage unit, and for having the read set of data displayed by the display unit in place of the set of data which the first display control unit had displayed.
Also, the data processing apparatus may include: a data display updating indication operation unit for indicating an updating of data display, in accordance with a user operation; and a data updating control unit for reading a set of data which includes a selected menu item in a latest new additional menu to be displayed on the display unit from the data storage unit in accordance with an indication from the data display updating indication operation unit, and for having the read set of data displayed by the display unit in place of the set of data which the first-display control unit had displayed.
Here, the data processing apparatus of may further include: a data display updating indication operation unit for indicating an updating of data display, in accordance with a user operation; and a data updating control unit for reading a set of data which includes a selected menu item in the latest additional menu to be displayed on the display unit from the data storage unit in accordance with an indication from the data display updating indication operation unit, and for having the read set of data displayed by the display unit in place of the set of data which the first display control unit had displayed.
With the above construction, the user can easily have data which is several links away from the displayed data displayed.
The fifth object of the present invention can be achieved by a data processing apparatus including a display unit, the data processing apparatus including: a data storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of data which include data sections, together with links which each connect a data section in an arbitrary set of data to another set of data; a data display indication operation unit for indicating a set of data to be displayed, in accordance with a user operation; a first display control unit for reading a set of data from the data storage unit in accordance with an indication from the data display indication operation unit, and having the read set of data displayed in a window provided on the display unit; a focus display state data indicating unit for indicating a focus display state of a data section currently in focus in the set of data displayed on the display unit, the focus display state differing from a display state used for other data sections in the set of data; a second display control unit for receiving an indication from the focus display state data indicating unit, and for having the indicated data section displayed in the focus display state in a display of the display unit; a data display updating indication operation unit for indicating a display of a set of data linked to the data section in the focus display state on the display unit, in accordance with a user operation; and a third display control unit for reading a set of data which is directly linked to the data section in the focus display state from the data storage unit and having the read set of data displayed by the display unit in place of the set of data which the first display control unit had displayed.
The focus display state data indicating unit may include: a default unit for indicating, when a set of data is displayed on the display unit, a predetermined data section as a data section in the focus display state; and a timer unit for measuring a time for which an Nth data section is in the focus display state and for giving an indication to move the focus display state to an (N+1)th data section at a predetermined time interval.
The focus display state data indicating unit may include: a default unit for indicating, when a set of data is displayed on the display unit, a predetermined data section as a data section in the focus display state; a focus display time storage unit for storing a focus display time which shows how long each data section in each set of data is displayed in the focus display state; and a timer unit for reading, when an Nth data section in a set of data being displayed on the display unit is in the focus display state, a focus display time for the Nth data section from the focus display time storage unit, and for giving an indication to move the focus display state to an (N+1)th data section when the Nth data section has been displayed in the focus display state for the read focus display time.
With the above construction, the focus condition is moved from data section to data section at a predetermined interval, which further facilitates data display updating indications by the user.
The sixth object of the present invention can be achieved by a data processing apparatus which further includes a data appending display control unit for reading, when display of a data section included in a displayed set of data in the focus display state is commenced, a set of data which is directly linked to the data section in the focus display state from the data storage unit, and for having the read set of data displayed in a new window.
With the above construction, a user can view data before updating the display.
The seventh object of the present invention can be achieved by a data processing apparatus including a display unit, the data processing apparatus including: a data storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of data which include data sections, together with links which each connect a data section in an arbitrary set of data to another set of data; a data display indication operation unit for indicating a set of data to be displayed, in accordance with a user operation; a first display control unit for reading a set of data from the data storage unit in accordance with an indication from the data display indication operation unit, and having the read set of data displayed in a window provided on the display unit; a window division indicating unit for indicating, when a number of data sections included in a set of data displayed by the first display control unit exceeds a predetermined number, a division of a display of the window into virtual windows; and a window division display control unit for dividing the display of the window on the display unit into virtual windows, in accordance with an indication from the window division indicating unit.
The window division indicating unit may include: a number of data sections calculation unit for counting a total number NE of data sections which are included in the set of data displayed on the display unit; a division judging unit for judging whether the total number NE exceeds a maximum number of data sections NS for one virtual window; and a division position indicating unit for positioning, when the division judging unit judges that the total number NE exceeds the maximum number NS, a pointer at a start of the displayed set of data in the data storage unit, for moving the pointer and counting a number of data sections until the maximum number of data sections NS have been counted, and for indicating a position of a dividing line for dividing the window based on a pointer position when the maximum number of data sections NS have been counted.
The data processing apparatus may further include: a current virtual window indication operation unit for indicating a current virtual window to have a focus condition, in accordance with a user operation; a current virtual window display control unit for having one out of the virtual windows displayed by the window division display control unit on the display unit displayed in a display state which shows the focus condition, based on one of a default and an indication from the current virtual window indication operation unit; a focus condition data section indication operation unit for indicating a data section in the focus condition, out of data sections in a set of data in the current virtual window on the display unit, which is to be displayed in a display state that enables the data section to be distinguished from other data sections; a second display control unit for receiving an indication from the focus condition data section indication operation unit, and having the indicated data section displayed on the display unit in the display state for the focus condition; a data display updating indication operation unit for indicating a display of a set of data which is directly linked to the data section displayed on the display unit in the focus condition, based on a user operation; and a third display control unit for reading the set of data linked to the data section displayed on the display unit in the focus condition from the data storage unit, based on an indication from the data display updating indication operation unit, and having the read set of data displayed in place of the set of data which the first display control unit had displayed.
With the above construction, virtual windows are displayed with only a predetermined number of data sections being allowed in each virtual window, facilitating user selection of a data section in a current virtual window.
The eighth object of the present invention can be achieved by a data processing apparatus which further includes: a data section number assigning unit for assigning, when the window division indicating unit indicates division of the window into virtual windows, a number to each data section included in each virtual window in order up to the maximum number NS; a current virtual window indicating operation unit for indicating a current virtual window to be displayed in the focus condition, in accordance with a user operation; a virtual window data section number display control unit for having one out of the virtual windows displayed by the window division display control unit on the display unit displayed in a display state which shows a focus condition, based on one of a default and an indication from the current virtual window indication operation unit, and for having the numbers assigned by the data section number assigning unit displayed for data sections in the current virtual. window; a data display updating indication operation unit for indicating a display of a set of data which is directly linked to a data section displayed on the display unit, based on a user operation; and a second display control unit for reading, based on an indication from the data display updating indication operation unit, the set of data linked to an indicated data section from the data storage unit, and having the read set of data displayed in place of the set of data which the first display control unit had displayed.
Here, the highest number is assigned by the data section number assigning unit to a data section may be xe2x80x9c12xe2x80x9d, and the data display updating indication operation unit may indicate a data section by means of an operation of a channel number button on a television remote controller.
The eighth object can also be achieved by a data processing apparatus including a display unit, the data processing apparatus including: a data storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of data which include data sections, together with links which each connect a data section in an arbitrary set of data to another set of data; a data display indication operation unit for indicating a set of data to be displayed, in accordance with a user operation; a first display control unit for reading a set of data from the data storage unit in accordance with an indication from the data display indication operation unit, and having the read set of data displayed in a window provided on the display unit; a data section number assigning unit for assigning a number in order to each data section included in a set of data displayed on the display unit; a data section number display control unit for having each data section included in a set of data displayed on the display unit displayed with the number assigned by the data section number assigning unit; a data display updating indication operation unit for indicating a display of data linked to a data section displayed on the display unit, in accordance with a user operation; and a second display control unit for reading, in accordance with an indication from the data display updating indication operation unit, a set of data which is directly linked to the indicated data section from the data storage unit and for having the read set of data displayed in place of the set of data which the first display control unit had displayed.
With the above construction, data display updating can be performed vary rapidly, increasing the performance of the apparatus.